


a really great year

by Type40



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Episode: s04e18 The End of Time (2), F/M, Ood Song, Regeneration, Sort of a major character death?, TenRose - Freeform, Vale Decem, but not really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:33:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27027388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Type40/pseuds/Type40
Summary: The Doctor visits Rose Tyler one last time before his death.Episode: The End of Time pt. 2
Relationships: Tenth Doctor/Rose Tyler
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	a really great year

He grimaces and tries to take deep breaths as another wave of pain wafts through his body, courtesy of the radiation, and his determination to delay his biology. He can tell he won’t be able to hold off his impending regeneration for much longer, but he has to try. There is still one last person he hasn’t visited yet. If he is being honest with himself, he was purposefully saving her for last. He will still have her face in his mind as he resigns himself to this incarnation’s death.

He grits his teeth and pulls back a lever on the TARDIS console, and sets the coordinates for London, early 2005. The TARDIS hums as she speeds through the vortex, eventually landing on a snowy, dark street, lit by colorful lights. The holidays must still be near. Perhaps New Years, he thinks.

Leaving the comfort of his ship, he moves into the shadows of a brick building. This is a good place, he thinks. No one will see him. He doesn’t need to interact with her, that would risk a paradox. No, he just needs to see her. One last time.

Soon enough, he hears voices around the corner.

“...rid of him, Mum. He’s useless.”

“Listen to you, with a mechanic. Be fair, though. My time of life I’m not going to do much better.”

The Doctor’s mouth curls into a faint smile. He would recognize those voices anywhere. Rose and Jackie Tyler.  _ Rose. _

__ “Don’t be like that. You never know, there could be someone out there.”

__ “Maybe, one day. Happy New Year,” Jackie says.

“Happy New Year! Don’t stay out all night,” Rose says.

“Try and stop me!”

Jackie walks away down a different street, as Rose comes down in his direction. Beautiful, as always - though he recalls, in her time, this must be before she met him. He will always regret that day on the beach, though he knows there was no other option. She still has a chance to be happy. She is safe now, with his meta-crisis.

He can’t help but grunt with the force of the pain, shooting up inside him, each time getting stronger as a reminder that his regeneration is getting closer. He instantly regrets making a sound as Rose turns and sees him.

“You all right, mate?” she asks, kind and compassionate, which were much of why he… decided to travel with her, a long time ago.

“Yeah.” he nods, barely even able to get the words out - any one of his actions in this very moment could ruin her timeline. He’s also nearly frozen just being in her presence… It’s been so, so long since he’s seen her face, and he misses it every day, though he doesn’t admit that to himself.

“Too much to drink?”

“Something like that.”

“Maybe it’s time you went home.” Even to a stranger in an alleyway, she’s caring and concerned.

“Yeah,” he replies.

“Anyway, Happy New Year.”

“And you.” He can hardly believe this is real. Couldn’t it so easily be a dream? And suddenly he has to know, he can’t help the words coming out of his mouth, forced out partially as a result of the regenerative energy coursing inside of him, partially to reassure his mind. “What year is this?”

“Blimey, how much have you had?” she laughs slightly, thinking he’s just another drunken man on the streets after a New Years party. If only she knew. “2005, January the first.”

“2005.” He lets out a breath. “Tell you what, I bet you’re going to have a really great year.”

“Yeah?” she grins, which puts a weak smile on his face as well. “See you.” Rose Tyler runs off, leaving the Doctor alone.

Immediately he gasps, no need to be quiet any longer. He can tell, if he opens his hands, he’ll definitely see the golden flames signalling it’s time. He needs to get back to the TARDIS. Suddenly, the simple act of crossing the street seems like miles to go. He leans on the wall and pulls himself to the street, trying to keep his eyes on his ship, though it’s definitely hard considering how dizzy he’s just become, and how blurry his eyes are. _ Almost there. _

He can’t help it any longer, a few steps away from the support of the wall, he collapses to the ground, grimacing and fighting down a cry of pain. He’s delayed this too long. Way too long, he knows that. Still, even now, he can’t bring himself to regret it. Seeing Rose again was like ripping both of his hearts in two, but then nailing all of their pieces back together. He can do this. Just a few more steps.

But he can’t quite muster up the strength until someone else appears in front of him.

“We will sing to you, Doctor,” Ood Sigma says, in his gentle, hypnotic, alien voice. “The universe will sing you to your sleep.” The Doctor can’t even tell if the creature is really there or simply a hallucination, produced by his worn-out and debilitated mind.

Then he hears it. The song, the telepathic melody projected by these aliens. It’s haunting, melancholy, beautiful, and hearing it gives him determination. He pushes himself up off the ground and, focusing on his breathing and balance, staggers to his TARDIS.

“This song is ending, but the story never ends.”

Unlocking the door, he’s inside, removing his coat and leading the TARDIS into the vortex. The song hasn’t ended yet, but he knows that when it does, so will he.

The music reaches it’s climax, and he knows what’s going to happen. He doesn’t want this, there was still so much more he could have done, and this life has been the shortest yet.

“I don’t want to go,” he says. Then he remembers the face of Rose Tyler, and he knows there’s no stopping this change. He can’t rewrite the prophecy. He opens his arms and resigns himself to his regeneration. His song is ending, but another will soon begin.


End file.
